Control Engineer

Job Title: Controls Engineer II

Location: Washington, DC (DMV Region)

Schedule: Monday-Friday (Hybrid/Remote)

Travel: 50-75%

Pay: $120,000 - $140,000

Duration: Direct Hire

Important Note on Location & Travel

DMV Location & Travel Requirements: This is a remote-based position for candidates located in the DMV region. The role requires travel to the company's Hanover, MD facility and customer sites. Candidates should expect approximately 60-75% travel during the first 6-9 months, decreasing to approximately 30-50% thereafter.

Position Overview

Our client, a growing engineering and manufacturing organization supporting complex electrical and industrial systems, is seeking an experienced Controls Engineer II to support the development and implementation of custom controls solutions.

This is a highly hands-on individual contributor position for an engineer who can independently program PLC and HMI systems, troubleshoot complex controls issues, and support projects from initial customer requirements through testing, commissioning, and field implementation.

The ideal candidate has a strong industrial automation background and remains actively involved in programming. This position is not intended for candidates whose recent experience has shifted primarily toward project or people management.

Key Responsibilities

• Independently design, develop, program, test, and troubleshoot PLC and HMI-based control systems.
• Develop PLC programs from the ground up based on customer specifications and system requirements.
• Support the complete controls lifecycle from requirements and controls development through FAT, startup, commissioning, and post-installation troubleshooting.
• Review customer specifications, control narratives, electrical schematics, and technical documentation.
• Integrate controls with customer systems, third-party equipment, and multiple vendor platforms.
• Configure and troubleshoot industrial communications, including Modbus and Ethernet-based networks.
• Partner with electrical, mechanical, manufacturing, and field service teams to resolve design and implementation challenges.
• Provide hands-on controls support during manufacturing, testing, installation, and commissioning.
• Serve as a technical point of contact for customers throughout project execution.
• Identify opportunities to improve controls standards, programming practices, documentation, and engineering processes.
• Develop technical documentation, training materials, procedures, and work instructions.
• Travel to company and customer facilities for project execution, commissioning, troubleshooting, and technical support.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of hands-on controls engineering, automation, or industrial programming experience.
• Demonstrated ability to independently develop PLC programs from scratch.
• Strong hands-on HMI programming and configuration experience.
• Experience commissioning and troubleshooting industrial control systems.
• Working knowledge of industrial communication protocols, including Modbus and Ethernet-based networks.
• Experience integrating controls with third-party equipment and customer systems.
• Ability to interpret electrical schematics, specifications, and controls documentation.
• Strong customer-facing communication and technical problem-solving skills.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, custom-engineered environment.
• Willingness and ability to accommodate significant travel during the initial ramp-up period.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation, or a related technical discipline; equivalent technical training and experience may be considered.
• Experience with multiple PLC/HMI manufacturers and programming environments.
• SCADA and system integration experience.
• Experience with custom-engineered equipment or engineered-to-order systems.
• Experience with switchgear, switchboards, panelboards, transformers, or other electrical distribution equipment.
• Background within power, utilities, renewable energy, energy storage, data centers, industrial automation, or mission-critical infrastructure.
• Experience performing FAT, SAT, startup, and customer-site commissioning.
• Exposure to protective relays or power-system automation is beneficial.